Box Score 

SCRANTON, Pa. – Strong play late in both halves helped Franklin & Marshall's women's basketball team to a 54-51 victory over Marywood on Tuesday evening to open the 2018-19 season.

The Diplomats improved 1-0 while the Pacers dropped to 0-1 to start the year.

Sarah Pisani tallied five points in the opening quarter to help F&M to a 7-3 lead, but Marywood was able to battle back to keep the game tied at 7-7 going into the break. 

Emily Moran got the scoring going, followed by back-to-back threes from Haley Pilone to give the Diplomats a 15-9 edge. Alisyn Narracci tallied her first collegiate point with a free throw to tie the contest at 16-16. The Pacers were able to trot out to a four-point lead, but two threes from Moran and Lindsey Powers gave F&M the 29-25 advantage at halftime. 

A Pilone three stopped a 4-0 run from Marywood to start the third quarter, while Parsons tallied a layup to keep F&M's lead at 35-31. The Pacers fought back, tying the game at 35-35 with one quarter left of action. 

Back-to-back Pisani three's jumped the Diplomats to a 41-35 lead in the fourth. A jumper from Narracci increased the deficit to eight in F&M's favor with 4:37 left in the game. Marywood threatened the lead, coming within one with 20 seconds left, but consistent free-throw shooting from Pilone guaranteed F&M's 54-51 victory. 

Pilone led both offenses with 21 points and notched a team-high six rebounds. Pisani tallied 13 points and six assists while Kenna Williams came away with five blocks in her collegiate debut.  

F&M returns home for its annual Terry Greene Tip-Off Classic, taking on local rival Elizabethtown Saturday at 3:00 p.m.